Those that were given to Moses upon Mount Sinai were
written by the finger of God, and contained the decalogue or ten
commandments of the law, as they are rehearsed in Exodus xx. Many
questions have been started about these tables; about their matter,
their form, their number, he that wrote them, and what they contained.
Some oriental authors make them amount to ten in number, others to
seven; but the Hebrews reckon but two. Some suppose them to have been of
wood, and others of precious stones. Moses observes, Exod. xxxii, 15,
that these tables were written on both sides. Many think they were
transparent, so that they might be read through; on one side toward the
right, and on the other side toward the left. Others will have it, that
the lawgiver only makes this observation, that the tables were written
on both sides, because generally in writing tables they only wrote on
one side. Others thus translate the Hebrew text: “They were written on
the two parts that were contiguous to each other;” because, being shut
upon one another, the two faces that were written upon touched one
another, so that no writing was seen on the outside. Some think that the
same ten commandments were written on each of the two tables, others
that the ten were divided, and only five on one table, and five on the
other. The words which intimate that the tables were written by the
finger of God, some understand simply and literally; others, of the
ministry of an angel; and others explain them merely to signify an order
of God to Moses to write them. The expression, however, in Scripture
always signifies immediate divine agency. See DECALOGUE.
written by the finger of God, and contained the decalogue or ten
commandments of the law, as they are rehearsed in Exodus xx. Many
questions have been started about these tables; about their matter,
their form, their number, he that wrote them, and what they contained.
Some oriental authors make them amount to ten in number, others to
seven; but the Hebrews reckon but two. Some suppose them to have been of
wood, and others of precious stones. Moses observes, Exod. xxxii, 15,
that these tables were written on both sides. Many think they were
transparent, so that they might be read through; on one side toward the
right, and on the other side toward the left. Others will have it, that
the lawgiver only makes this observation, that the tables were written
on both sides, because generally in writing tables they only wrote on
one side. Others thus translate the Hebrew text: “They were written on
the two parts that were contiguous to each other;” because, being shut
upon one another, the two faces that were written upon touched one
another, so that no writing was seen on the outside. Some think that the
same ten commandments were written on each of the two tables, others
that the ten were divided, and only five on one table, and five on the
other. The words which intimate that the tables were written by the
finger of God, some understand simply and literally; others, of the
ministry of an angel; and others explain them merely to signify an order
of God to Moses to write them. The expression, however, in Scripture
always signifies immediate divine agency. See DECALOGUE.